IEHBD – THE DUEL
by Lady K Rox
Summary: Ned Malone in an implacable duel with... Tommy. Who will win this battle? It happens about two days before Tommy’s first birthday and the last scene of IEHBD. Have fun! - COMPLETE


**IEHBD – THE DUEL**

AUTHOR: Lady F., TowandaBR

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters of the show "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" are property of John Landis, Telescene, Coote/Hayes, DirecTV, New Line Television, Space, Action Adventure Network, Goodman/Rosen Productions, and Richmel Productions.

A very special thanks to Cris (our very kind translator) and all the people who read our fiction and were kind enough to take their time to leave reviews.

To all people who write or read _Fics_ keeping _TLW_ alive.

SPOILERS: OUT OF TIME, IF EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DIFFERENT (fic).

This fic was originally written to homage Father's Day: Ned Malone in an implacable duel with... Tommy. Who will win this battle? It happens about two days before Tommy's first birthday and the last scene of IEHBD. Have fun!

Also in Portuguese: _"STFD - O Duelo"_

* * *

"_Well... Here we go..." - Malone thought, taking a pencil and paper. -"Let me see... to sweep the house, ok... to clean the kitchen, ok... to arrange our room and Tommy's, ok... bath, ok... afternoon's nap, ok..."_ - Seating by the twilight of Tommy's little room, Ned looked at the boy still awake, trying to remind about his calendar. - _"Organize the library, ok." _

In two days, they would be celebrating the one year's birthday of the child and they were all very busy with the preparations.

Challenger would need Summerlee's assistance to finish Tommy's gift.

Marguerite would be also busy finishing the boy's clothes and making some adjustments in her friends' costumes. All of them wanted to be very elegant.

Roxton would spend his day hunting. He had promised a delicacy for the special dinner.

Veronica would go to the Zanga village to get some groceries for the party and for Tommy's cake. Initially she intended to take the boy with her, but Ned insisted that she left him take care of the boy, alleging that she could go much faster, bring more things and the one having a birthday would be more rested.

"_Give him plenty water and juice, do not to let him eat cookies instead of food, maintain him far away from the balcony and from the elevator. Do not to let him spread food by the whole kitchen. And I'll also cook the dinner tomorrow."_ - Ned stopped writing and said with a great smile -"Easy."

He got up and leaned kissing Tommy's head.

"Good night, little one. Tomorrow we will have lots of fun, only the two of us!"

Malone went to the door that connected directly to his and Veronica's room when...

TUM!

He felt the ball made of cloth beat his head. He turned to see the boy looking seriously at him.

Ned returned and caught Tommy in the cradle - "That is not a good time for a child to be awake, nevertheless throwing toys to other people's head. If you want to play you will have to wait until tomorrow..."

He took the boy to his room. Malone pointed to Veronica who was lying in a deep sleep and he whispered by the kid's ear. – "She will be furious if she knows that we are awake until this time..." - Back to the cradle, he quickly managed to put the child to sleep.

Then he returned sighing alleviated when noticing that Veronica had not woke up. He lied down carefully trying not to wake her up. He was already almost falling asleep when he heard a sleepy voice.

"Ned?... You two were awake until that time?" - Malone shivered.

"Of course not, you were dreaming." - He said coming closer to her.

Veronica slept again, but before slumbering again she thought - _"Liar."_

* * *

Although he had almost slept immediately, Malone was surprised when he woke up before dawn and before Veronica, but he did not cheer up to get up of the bed. It was so rare for him to wake up before her that he decided to stay there for some time together with his beautiful companion, hugging, observing her. He closed his eyes. He had to appreciate this moment of silence and privacy. Such pleasant morning attracted the reminiscences in his memory.

There had been some time since the residents had built the boy's little room with a direct door for Veronica's room. Summerlee, Challenger, Roxton and Marguerite knew that the girl and Malone were together, but they doubted that, discreet as they were, they could become definitively a couple and then they decided to give them a hand. The youths went out with Tommy in a small trip for three days, and when they returned Malone noticed that his things had disappeared from his room and he went to find them in Veronica's room, now prepared for two. He remembered facing her as surprised as him by the door of the bedroom.

Under the other residents' curious glance and uncertain that she would approve that change, he finally asked her quietly.

"What do you think?" - He feared for her answer.

She just leaned her face in his, whispering by his ear.

"I love you."

Malone hugged her with tenderness, but before he could kiss her, he felt Roxton pulling him by the arm.

"Excuse me, Veronica, but first I and this journalist have a thing to make clear."

John took Ned to the balcony and continued seriously. - "This is our gift for you, but... you hurt Veronica and I tear you apart, Malone."

"Don't worry" - they were already returning from outside when Marguerite dragged Malone once again.

"We can have our differences, Malone, but we are women and if you hurt her, your problem will be with me." – the heiress assured.

Once again, Ned tried to return for Tommy and Veronica, but it was Summerlee who caught him this time.

"I can be just an old man, Ned, but you will see how I can be very strong if you make her cry only once."

And for the fourth time Malone tried to continue and when he saw Challenger coming in his direction he already walked back to the balcony where he had been cornered three times before.

"What happened, Malone? You seem to be afraid." - George said.

"I already know what you are going to say, Challenger."

"Do you know?"

"I know. You will threaten me if I hurt Veronica."

"I would never threaten you."

Ned sighed diminished. But then Challenger got very close to the journalist.

"It is not a threat, Malone. It is a promise. I will break you in a million pieces if you ever hurt her."

Back to the reality, Ned laughed and continued with her, and hugged her. He thought about his old desires of fame and recognition, but now he knew that he would never be satisfied with just a little. Now he had everything. He noticed that Veronica finally had wakened up.

"Good morning." - He greeted quietly.

"Good morning." - She turned to him, stretching slightly and looking at him with surprise. -"Is Tommy already awake?" - She asked him curiously.

"Not yet, why?"

"Then, why did you wake up before me?"

Ned caressed her sleepy face. The girl kissed him softly and sighed. She looked towards the window and saw a little clarity passing across the openings. She closed her eyes still sleepy. -"I have to get up and..."

"... You don't need to get up now, Veronica, please..." - he requested -"Only for a while..." - He held her closer to himself, while she smiled.

"You tell that as if I had a choice."

They stayed there hugging each other and they were already falling asleep again...

"BBBRRRRRRRRR...RRRRRRRRR...MMMMMM..TRTRTRTRTRTRTR...GLAGLA..DAAAA..."

"I think both of us know that we will never sleep late again." - Veronica laughed - "I'll take him."

Ned stopped her - "No, you are going to Zanga. The little boy is all mine today." - He kissed her and jumped of the bed.

* * *

As always, Tommy was friendly and docile. Together with Ned, they accompanied Veronica to the base of the Treehouse.

"I will be back for dinner. You two behave yourselves." - She smiled kissing each one of her boys.

But soon after she left, Ned felt that serious glance, when Tommy's pressed his small eyes as he always did to Marguerite when he wanted to irritate her. Ned had never seen Tommy driving that look to him and he feared more than ever. He noticed that the child was not with the best of the intentions and he felt chills.

"You do know very well who is in charge here, don't you, little boy?"

Ned saw Tommy facing him even more intensely and to squeeze his small eyes even more fiercely.

"He knows who is in charge." - Ned thought apprehensively.

* * *

Still with the boy by his lap, Ned left the elevator and then he recalled his notes, nothing else than what he had to do on this day that was just beginning.

"So, little boy, let's make our beds?"

Immediately, Ned was in the middle of sheets and pillows. He bent and picked everything without losing time. Occasionally he went to the room aside and saw which Tommy was doing. Even knowing that he was very small, Ned played giving him orientations to collect and store all the toys dispersed in the previous night. And as incredible as it may seem there was not a single toy out of place.

Instead of what he had imagined, Tommy was all coiled in sheets and cloths, trying to imitate Malone, who approached the boy and carefully helped him to bend the small blanket.

He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately, who seat by the ground observing a little apprehensively while Malone walked towards the closet near ground.

When opening it, a mountain of toys and other little things, as cookies and a collection of spoons, tumbled to his feet.

Ned turned slowly for the boy and questioned him with just one glance. Tommy moved his head in a negative sign, avoiding any personal responsibility for that, and got up to run towards Malone and Veronica's room. The journalist got rid from the mixture by his feet and walked without hurry to the other room where he saw two small legs upward falling inside the trunk where the blond girl kept some clothes, and the trunk cover closed afterwards.

He sped up a little, fearing that the wood cover could have reached the child, but quickly he relaxed when he listened to the beats and the irritated grumblings.

Ned made an effort for not laughing. Even small Tommy needed to have limits and he could get hurt. The young man sat down by the ground and he opened the cover. From the position in that he was he did not get to see the boy.

"Get out, Tommy."

He waited for some seconds and finally he saw two tiny hands caught to the border. He continued waiting until seeing a tuft of dark hair, soon followed by a pair of eyes looking at him. Finally, the boy stood up inside of the trunk and impatiently he extended his arms to the journalist.

"You got inside there alone. Now I want to see you get out from it alone." - Tommy started to become irritated and to tilt trying to reach Ned who did not intend to give in, but he was forced to help when he noticed that Tommy would fall upside down to the ground, and only then Ned extended his arms pulling the child out of the trunk.

Tommy faced the journalist while squeezing his little eyes and Ned noticed who had won that round of the fight.

"One to you, zero for me, little boy."

* * *

Malone was making whatever was possible to complete his schedule for the day. He finally managed to arrange the library, even having Tommy conspiring against him and removing all the books from the lowest shelves. He began to sweep the house. And on that moment the boy found out that holding on to one of the journalist's legs he could be carried through the house in a more entertaining way. Then there was Ned crawling with the hung child and with a broom by his hands, trying to do his work.

"_I hope that nobody sees me in this ridiculous situation."_ - He thought.

Then he put the pots in the stove for the lunch. Luckily, the dinner of the previous day had been prepared by Roxton, who thought all of them ate as much as himself (Roxton always exaggerated the food quantity). With the hunter and Veronica out the whole day, enough food had remained for him, Challenger, Summerlee and Marguerite. Then, it was just a matter of warming it up and each one of them would eat their part whenever they thought it would suite them.

* * *

Ned put Tommy by the little chair and went to the stove to take some vegetable soup. He poured it in the plate, and stayed there, seating while the food cooled a little. The boy became distracted with the wooden spoon that had become one of his favorite toys. Finally, Malone filled the spoon and he approximated it of the child's mouth, who refused it, pointing for the pot covered with a cloth that was on the top of the table.

"It was Veronica who did it for you and I know you enjoy any food she prepares." – He tried again to put the spoon in Tommy's mouth, but the child muttered averting his face and once again pointed to the pot.

"No way, young boy. First you will eat your food." - And once again, Tommy locked his mouth. - "Cookies are only allowed after the food." - Ned noticed that he needed to negotiate - "I'll make a deal with you. I will take a juice. You take a little bit of it and than have your food."

If Malone was fast when getting up to take the juice, Tommy was even faster when passing from the chair to the top of the table, moving fast towards the pot. He removed the cloth and when the little hand already got ready to catch a cookie, the young man intercepted the child carrying him back. Ned tried to give him the juice, but unyielding Tommy did not open his mouth and continued pointing to the pot.

"Damn it, Tommy! You had to pick exactly today to be in Marguerite's mood?"

"If you are calling me, Malone..." - the heiress entered the kitchen - "... speak soon because I have a lot of things to do."

Before Ned could speak anything, Tommy began to cry loudly extending his arms to her.

"The brat is hungry, it's only a matter of feeding him! What is happening to you today?" - Marguerite asked Malone, already close to the boy.

"He doesn't want to eat in any way! He wants cookies and he only should have cookies after his food, you know."

She caught a cookie and offered it to the boy, but Tommy turned his face pointing for the plate in front of Ned. The woman began to give the food to the boy, who finally ate it. The journalist was mouth-opened observing that there was not even a single tear in the child's face. Marguerite returned the plate to Malone.

"Did you learn how to do it? Now finish feeding the little brat because I have more things to do."

As soon as she left, Ned saw the child again already with his hand inside of the pot of cookies. He put himself ahead of the boy filling the spoon. And as he had done before, Tommy locked his mouth.

Whenever Tommy got out of line, it was enough that Veronica became very serious and called him _"Young man"_ and the boy immediately obeyed the blond girl. The journalist gave a half-smile when recalling the guaranteed magic word.

He looked at Tommy very seriously and spoke in his best austere tone - "Young man."

Tommy squeezed his tiny eyes and without diverting Ned's glance, he caught a cookie and bit it.

Before Ned could continue with his attempt of reprehension, he faced the boy. Tommy was definitively intelligent and, without any doubt, special.

"He is special, of course! Which one year child does launch challenging glances for an adult!"

Tommy still tried to eat the whole cookie and when noticing that he would not get it, he spit.

"Yes... almost one year... I think." - Concluded Malone already irritated and beginning to clean the dirt.

Then he saw Tommy give him another glance as if he asked for truce, at the same time stretching out his tinny hand offering Malone the dribbled cookie. Malone accepted his offer and could not prevent to smile.

"You do know how to use all your charm to get out of confusion, don't you?"

* * *

Malone had finally managed to accomplish the tasks he had despite certain unusual events created by the only and exclusive presence of the small one. Wherever Malone went, the boy went behind, and if he did not follow Ned, he already had arrived to the destination place before Ned, with the smart and ready glance for one more prank.

After lunch, Ned tried to make him take the usual afternoon nap, but Tommy seemed to know that was not a normal day. The boy was more active than ever.

Then Ned concluded that it would be much better to have a Tommy full of things to do than a Tommy bored, whiny and irritated. He knew that monotony was not the right word that could describe the boy. Ned found better to make a dessert to the next day's party, since he himself also could not stay still.

Watching the boy from a distance, he quickly caught the book of desserts and sought something that preferably not expended a lot of work to prepare. So Tommy could give him a hand, have something to do and who knows, to calm down.

He turned some pages of the old book before finally finding the recipe he wanted.

"Tommy! Come here, I have a little thing for you." - He called.

Seconds later, Ned saw the boy slowly came walking in a very and little insecure way.

"Come on, boy! It is a surprise!"

With an abashed look, he stopped a little unbalanced leaning on a chair and there he stayed. Ned thought it was strange.

"What's up, Tommy?" - He approached and knelt down in front of the boy. Suddenly his eyes were attracted to a different glow by the child's neck that disappeared inside his shirt.

"What have we got here?" - The boy tried to run, but he could not leave the place. Ned held him and with certain difficulty removed a gold necklace that was with him. He analyzed the jewel and as if he had seen a ghost, he was pale. - "Marguerite!"

He looked at Tommy that tried to catch the jewel of his hands.

"Do you want to get in trouble, Tommy? Are you crazy?"

With low but firm voice, he questioned the boy. - "How did you get this? You cannot take things that are not yours without the owner's permission, did you understand?" - He noticed the child's afraid glance.

"Of course you don't understand, little one." - He caressed the small hand until the child calmed down. Obviously, it was his fault for not having watched him as he had to. He softened the voice tone.

"Her jewels are hidden, how did you... Oh, my God..."

He caught the boy in a sudden movement and carrying the jewel ran for Marguerite's room. He almost fell back when seeing a box in the ground, with several other dispersed pieces through the room.

Quickly he left the boy on the bed and knowingly put back all of her things in the box leaving it by the top of the dresser.

He took the boy and already was opening the door to leave the room when he saw Marguerite coming in their direction. Without time to think, Malone crowded with Tommy behind the door when the heiress entered. He shrank the belly praying that the boy, now safe besides him for one hand, remained quiet, and he really seemed to feel that playing with Marguerite Krux's jewels and being caught was a risk of life as he stayed as immobile as Ned.

Quickly the heiress took some seam equipments and left. The two boys sighed diminished.

"Now you won't stay out of my view! You already did too many pranks today!" - He scolded Tommy - "No more naughty!"

He put him by the high chair and so Tommy could not leave it alone. He tried to retake the reading of the cookie recipe. He still separated the ingredients, but could not concentrate. Seeing the boy static without making any noise disturbed him. Tommy crossed his arms and leaned over the table.

Ned counted up to three breathing deeply. He released the book and sat down beside him. He kissed his head and gave him a hug. - "I'm sorry, Tommy, I was a little tough with you."

Tommy lifted his head and immediately he was happy again. The journalist could see the shine in his glance, noticing that everything the child needed was attention – more attention.

He removed the boy of the high chair and put him sat down on top of the table, besides the ingredients. Then he caught the book of recipes again, and browsed the pages, until finding again what he wanted.

Once in a while he looked at Tommy, to confirm the silence that had prevailed. He smiled and started to read. He caught a jug, and began to ask so that the boy could give him what he would need.

"... milk..." - Ned said pointing for the jug. Tommy leaned the hands in the milk jug a little insecure and he looked at Malone that smiled positively helping the boy who tried to give what he was asked for. As he slowed down to find the ingredients, Ned showed what he should take, and they continued with this game.

Ned was happy when seeing that his plan to calm Tommy down was giving results. But he also knew that he had to be faster. The child could not stay a long time in only one activity, except when he slept. He feared that soon the alarm clock of naughtiness could ring.

"... flour..."

Tommy heard to the new request and was seeking for it, but he did not know what it was. As before, Ned showed and repeated - "This is flour."

The boy swung the head. Carefully he closed the small hand and put inside of the tow sack. Ned would reprehend him, but he knew that it would be good that Tommy started to know things.

Tommy caught a little of flour and squeezed it in his hand. He laughed at Malone. Then he removed one more handful, and putting the point of his tongue outside his mouth, he tasted it.

"It is not very good to eat that raw..." - He laughed at the grimace that the boy gave. For some instants, Ned stopped and admired his favorite little boy and how he had learned to love him.

"... alright... now when I ask, you give me the sack, ok?" - The boy agreed and Ned returned to his place. – "...Flour..." - he continued to read. "...Flour... Tommy, the flo..." - he repeated a little distracted.

But before he had time for noticing what was happening Malone saw himself in the middle of a great white cloud, and he could not get to breathe well. He barely saw things in front of him and he called for the boy. In answer, he heard only laughter of the child until he finally noticed what had happened.

He coughed and agitated his arms to try to dissipate the cloud of flour and to go closer to the boy who finally found his leg holding it firmly. Some seconds later, the dust lowered. Ned did not know if it was better to cover the eyes and do not to see the mess that was around, or to clean everything very fast.

He faced the child that did not stop laughing. He tried everything, but the boy looked at him, with the face all white and fallen down laughing. He tried even the artifice of the "young man" some times, without success.

Already tired and discouraged, besides flour white, the journalist sat down in the chair. Immediately he listened to a strange noise and feeling the pants getting wet he got up quickly. Even Tommy got a fright. The two looked at the chair and there were... two eggs.

"It was the only thing I needed!" - he exclaimed making faces. The boy laughed more. Ned was turned to catch a cloth when felt something to get right him and more laughter.

He put the hands behind the head and felt more eggs.

"Tommy, those eggs are not easy to find, you cannot waste them!... I think it is better to clean up this mess before somebody arrives and... hang us." - He said, taking the boy that continued to laugh in a softer way. He heard more cracks, now closer.

He suspended the boy slowly in the air, no longer believing that it was possible that more things could happen.

"Nice eggnog, young boy" – He twisted his nose when noticing that the eggs were in the front pocket, above the waist.

"Hummm! Tommy! These eggs are..." - he smelled the boy and soon moved him away again. – "...ROTTEN!"

Suspended in the air Tommy balanced his short legs while Ned made faces, the smell was unbearable. - "Wow... be calm... breath deep... that's it, relax, Malone..." - He told himself trying to calm down. - "He is just a child, he doesn't know what he is doing... breath..."

It was only then that he noticed the eggs were not rotten.

"...Have you defecated? Ah, great... alright, BATH NOW!"

The 'flour men' went carefully to the bathroom. Ned filled a bucket of water while he removed their clothes. Then it was Tommy's time. He threw the dirty diaper away and began to clean the boy.

"Now you are holly quiet, aren't you?"

Then he filled the bathtub, took the boy with him and they submerged.

"Oh, yes! It's cold water." - He said when the boy tried to arise for his shoulder. He put Tommy in the water, and the boy shivered in contact with the water. Ned hesitated to laugh.

Malone soaped himself, trying to remove all the dirty from his own body, while doing the same with the body of that little mischievous creature who little by little was becoming accustomed to the water's temperature and Tommy finally started having fun.

Only at the end of the bath the man noticed that there were only two small towels available. In a hurry he had forgotten to get the larger towels. He rolled up one of them in the waist holding the edges so that it did not fall and the other in the boy's small body. With him in the lap he ran for his bedroom trying to avoid that somebody saw them almost naked.

He put Tommy in the bed covering him with a sheet so that heated him up. He got dressed quickly and later was the child's turn.

"Come on, little boy, cooperate with me. We will be delivered to the raptors today if we don't clean the mess that we did."

With Tommy by his shoulders, he ran for the bathtub area that he arranged as fast as he could. Then they went back to the kitchen where Ned saw a Marguerite Krux arms-crossed amid the flour.

"It's very nice. I hope you clean that before Veronica and the others arrive. And I mean that for you also, Tommy."

The heiress walked back quickly for her room, passing indifferently through Malone. Seconds later, she went back to him and said with a cunning smile.

"By the way... you have beautiful legs, Ned Malone."

* * *

Malone seated Tommy in the usual high chair.

"Now you will remain quiet, ok? You clean the table like this." - Ned took a cloth and rubbed it in the table. Then he gave it to the boy that imitated the gesture. Quickly the journalist began to clean the mess. He always observed his small partner who continued calmly. Surprisingly he seemed to understand that it was not time for pranks.

Malone finished arranging the table on time for the arrival of Challenger and Summerlee.

"That smells good, Malone." – Arthur smiled.

"Thank you, professor."

Challenger was up to where Tommy was, greeting him with a handshake as usual.

"And you, noble gentleman, how are you?" - he said pretending formality.

Tommy opened a great smile shaking the scientist's hand who laughed heartily. - "This is really the compliment of a strong little man."

Carrying some birds, Roxton was the next to arrive.

"This was a perfect hunting, boys." - John said. He pointed for the kid. -"You gave me luck, young boy." - he got a plate and was already serving himself - "I'm starving."

Roxton saw Marguerite coming closer and provoked her.

"Come to sit down here with me."

"You are sweat, Roxton."

"I thought you preferred it like this." - he smiled already nibbling a piece of bread. Immediately she reacted catching a napkin and throwing it against the hunter.

"Won't you two going to eat?" – Summerlee asked.

"We already ate something. We will wait for Veronica, right, little friend?"

* * *

Everything that Malone wished that evening was his bed. And it looked like Tommy had the same desire. He already had almost finished arranging the dish of dinner when he listened to the elevator. Quickly he caught the boy and went to meet Veronica who had just arrived. With a happy shriek, Tommy threw himself to the blond girl's lap, who did not have another option except to quickly loosen in the ground the great bag that she carried from the Zanga village. She hugged Tommy strongly and he hugged her back.

"Hi, sweetie! I missed you! Did you have a good day?" - She filled him with kisses while he hugged her still stronger.

Then she came closer to Malone, passed her hand through the well shaved face of the young man, as she always adored to do and gave him a long and delicate kiss. He hugged her, caressing her hair.

"Did you have a good journey?"

"I did. And you two? Did you have fun?"

"You don't imagine how much fun."- Ned answered, catching the bag and putting it in a corner of the kitchen. - "You should be tired and hungry. Actually I and my little partner were only waiting for you to have dinner together."

"You two are perfect gentlemen." - she said kissing them once again -"I'll take a quick bath and I'll be right back." - She put Tommy in the high chair.

As promised, Veronica returned soon, already finding her food ready. Ned sat down beside Tommy, putting the plate in front of him and another for himself. Malone gave the food to the boy. Veronica was starving and in the beginning did not pay too much attention to the two of them.

When she finally did it, she began to laugh quietly when seeing the two with the eyes closing heavily while the head of both went hanging slowly until they fall with the face buried in the dish for soon afterwards suddenly wake up. When their eyes began again to close, the girl got up and took Tommy in the high chair. The boy immediately nestled to the blond girl's shoulder and continued to sleep. Veronica got closer to the young man and spoke softly.

"Ned?" - He woke up in a startle. She touched lightly her hand in his hair -"Go to sleep."

Malone woke up sleepy and he made as if to take the boy. She refused -"Leave it. I'll take him."

"Ok" - he gave her a quick and drowsy kiss and began to walk in front of the blond girl. Suddenly Tommy lifted the head muttering and stretching out the arms insistently for the journalist who stopped, returned and took the boy that continued to sleep this time in his shoulder.

"It looks like you two really had fun." - Veronica laughed observing her exhausted boys entering the bedroom.

* * *

Malone lied down in the bed exhaust. That day had really consumed his energy. But he was very happy. Veronica went to bed next. She was also very tired.

"Ned... Are you still awake?" - She asked doubting to hear an answer. After some time she heard a mumble.

"I saw such beautiful things... I hope you like the things I brought for Tommy's birthday..."

With his eyes closed, Ned dragged the words. - "I have faith in your good taste, if you are saying they are good, it is because in fact they are..."

Veronica smiled. She embraced herself in Malone and talked about some things that she had seen, new stuff. Ned murmured just positive, but he was so tired that he did not assimilate some things. Suddenly, Veronica changed the subject.

"Ned, do you know what day will be tomorrow?"

He opened his eyes just a little and faced her. - "Of course I know. Tommy will be one year old."

Veronica was silent. She smiled when she noticed that Ned did not assimilate any date except the birthday.

"Why?" - He asked.

She kissed his face and closed her tired eyes, with a smile. - "Nothing..."

Then she stretched out the hand catching the cameo from the bedside table. She opened it and by the twilight observed her parents' picture. She smiled.

"I wish you a Happy Father's Day, dad!"

**THE END…For Now.**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

_This fic will continue in IEHBD - The Lost Dream (To be published in English soon)_

_**For you all, our sincere THANK YOU VERY MUCH!**_

_**Lady F., TowandaBR**_


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